Method for determining the velocity and acceleration characteristics of moving objects



1953 F. E. TUTTLE ET AL 7 METHOD FOR DETERMINING THE VELOCITY AND ACCELERATION CHARACTERISTICS OF MOVING OBJECTS Filed April 27, 1950 FIG].

FIG. 2

B E w nwmw M T E R Umw m 1 E K ER wgw Du mw M Patented Dec. 22, 1953 ITY. AND ACCELERATION CHARACTERIS TICS F MOVING OBJECTS Fordyce E. Tuttle and Walter C. Newcomb, Rochester, N. Y., assignors to Eastman Kodak Company, Rochester, N. Y., a corporation of New Jersey Application April 27, 1950, Serial No. 158,621

6 Claims. .1

The present invention relates to photography and particularly to a method of photographically determining the velocity and acceleration characteristics of high-speed objects.

I One form of the present invention is a modification of the methods of photographic'ally determining the velocity and acceleration characteristics of high-speed objects disclosed in our copending applications 1 Serial No. 158,619 and Serial No; 158,620, filed on even date herewith. The present invent p i is similar to the inventions disclosed in these noted copending-applications in that the preferred embodiment thereof involves making a photographic record of the object through a multiple lined screen and viewing the record so obtained through alike lined screen. It diiiers, however, in themanner in which the record is exposed and, hence, in the results which are obtained when viewing the record.

One object of the present invention is to proacceleration characteristi s of an object having a substantially rectilinear motion.

A further object is to provide a method of determining the velocity and acceleration characteristics of a moving object which involves making successive instantaneous exposures of the object at successive equaltime intervals on a single sensitized area and determining the relation between the distance traveled by the object during successive or different time intervals.

And, another object is to provide a method for accomplishing the end mentioned which involves photographing the moving object on a fixed'sensitized surface through'a lined screen which is moved across the focal plane in a direction substantially parallel tothe direction of movement vide a method of determining the velocity and of the object and at'suificientIy high speed to effectively stop movement of the object as it appears on the record. The screen is moved across the sensitized surface by such an amount that a plurality of successive images'of the object appear acrossthe'record by virtue of multiple exposure; said images being rendered apparent and segregated-from all other' images included in the record through'a lined'scre e'n it was exposed.

And, a further objec'tof the invention is to provide improved methods of making theexby viewing the record like that through which posures through'the'lined screen so thatsuc cessive images exposed on j the sensitized surface by multiple exposure will be readily appar ent for observation'ast'otheir relative'displaceme'n'tl' The novel features that we consider characteristic of our invention are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its organization and the steps and results involved therein, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, will best be understood from the following description when read in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which Figs. 1 and 2 schematically illustrate how a photographic record of a bullet might appear when exposed and viewed in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view showing a high-speed camera back capable of making a photographic record in accordance with the present invention.

Like reference characters refer to corresponding parts throughout the drawings.

In its broadest sense, the volves taking a plurality of instantaneous picserving the relation between the distances traveled by the object during the successive intervals of time in the direction of motion of the object. If the distance between successive instan'taneous images increases, then the object is known to be accelerating; while, if it decreases, then the object is known to be decelerating. The invention also contemplates photographing a distance scale ohthe record from which the actual distance traveled by the object in space for a given displacement of its image on the record can be obtained so that actual values of velocity and acceleration of the object at any instant, or over a given time interval, can be figured. The problems involved in this method include, first, making instantaneous exposures of high-speed objects; second, making a plurality of such exposures at successive equal intervals of time, and third making these successive exposures at intervals which will permit the object to be photographed a plurality of times in displaced relation during its travel over a given path. We have found that the solution to these problems can be had by using the lined screen principle of taking and viewing high-speed pictures and modifying the'exposure technique to some extent.

U. S. patent application Serial No. 114,352, filed September 7, 1949, now U. S. Patent 2,578,327 which issued December 11, 1951', which relates to a high-speed camera of the lined screen type, discloseshow,-with every translation of the exposing screen a distance equal to the width of one of the lines thereof; a'complete new motion picture frame is exposed. As is well known, these motion picture frames will comprise a composite picture made up of a plurality of linear image elements corresponding in shape and spacing with the lines of the screen and which, when viewed selectively and simultaneously through a lined screen like that through which they were exposed, will be simultaneously observed and visually combined to form a complete image or pic ture of the object. If the lines of the exposing screen are equally spaced apart by a distance which is a multiple of the width of the lines, then each time the screen is moved a distance equal to one line width, a new composite picture will be exposed on the sensitized surface behind the screen. The number of single exposures available with a given size photographic plate is equal to the ratio of the widths of the transparent and opaque lines of the screen. If the exposing screen continues to move after it has traveled a distance suflicient to expose all of the frames provided by this ratio, then double exposure begins. Inasmuch as double exposure is objectionable in the conventional applications of this camera, the camera of the above-noted application is provided with a capping shutter to prevent double exposure. In the referred-to camera, the exposing lined screen had transparent lines .001 wide spaced on .030" centers, so that the screen could take 30 different composite pictures, with a screen movement of .030" without double exposure difficulties.

According to the present invention, we modify the exposure technique of the lined screen principle of high-speed photography to make use of the multiple exposure possibilities thereof. Let us assume that a moving object is photographed on a fixed sensitized surface, or photographic plate, with a moving grid high-speed camera in which the grid or screen is caused to travel, at a uniform velocity, a distance greater than that required to cover the frames available; or, saying it in another way, by a distance greater than the ratio between the widths of the transparent and opaque lines of the grid. This will produce what might be called a multiple double exposure, since, in the assumed case, if the lined screen had the dimension to do so, after it had completed the 30th exposure and continued to move across the plate, it would start to double expose the plate at the instant it moved .031" and would double expose all frames through its movement up to .060", and then would start to triple expose at .061"--etc., adding to the plate exposure at each .030 of its travel.

In order to measure the acceleration of the moving object, this extended travel of the screen must be completed within the time during which the moving object is in the camera field. Immediately following the opening of the conventional camera shutter, or let us say the uncapping of the lens, the grid or screen traverses a distance equal to that covered by the number of frames available, 30 in the assumed case of .001" lines on .030" center, and a series of 30 exposures are made on the plate which show the motion of the object during this time. Any one of these 30 frames, for example, the first, shows an instantaneous composite picture of'the object because with this camera it is possible to obtain exposures as fast as A, /second.

According to the present invention, movement of the exposing screen is continued, and this reexposes areas of the emulsion which have been exposed before, thus taking another series of i available frames, 1. e., 30 in the assumed case, which show the progress of the object during this period of time following the initial series of pictures. For adequate measurement of acceleration, the physical extent of the grid travel should be such that this reexposure occurs several times. For example, in the assumed case of a screen having .001" wide transparent lines on .030" center, where the number of available frames is 30, and are exposed when the screen moves .030", if the screen is moved .210", or a little less than A", then 7 reexposures of 30 frames each will appear on the plate along with the first exposure giving a total of.8 pictures, see Fig. 1. If the screen is moved across the plate with a uniform velocity, then each reexposure of the plate occurs at equal time intervals in succession, said time intervals depending upon the speed of movement of the screen and the ratio of the widths of the transparent and opaque lines of the screen.

After the plate is exposed in the manner set forth above it is processed and this photographic record is placed in a proper viewer to be viewed through a stationary lined screen, like that through which it was exposed. With the viewing screen stationary in front of the stationary record in any position with its transparent lines aligned with a given group of linear image elements of the record, several different instantaneous positional images of the object photographed will be seen spaced across the field of the viewing screen. In Figs. 1 and 2 we have shown schematically what the record of a bullet might look like if photographed and viewed in the manner set forth, and if the exposing screen was moved by an amount to give 7 reexposures of the plate plus the initial exposure for a total of 8. Because there were 7 reexposures of the plate, 8 separate pictures of the bullet will be seen in any one position of the viewing screen.

This comes about as follows. that the width of our screen lines is .001", and that they are spaced on .030" center. We then have available on the plate a total of 29 frames in addition to the starting or first frame. When the viewing screen is in proper position to pass the instantaneous image of the record recorded on the first frame, there will appear, in addition, a ghost image which was recorded at the 31st frame on the same emulsion area by the exposing grid continuing to move after it had covered the 29 frames available up to the point double exposure began. Although this ghost image is recorded on the same area of the plate as the first frame is, it was recorded at a time later by 30 times the exposure time for one frame, and since, during this length of time the object was moving, the images are separated on the photographic plate. Further grid travel can provide 61st, 91st, etc., ghost images visible concurrent with the image recorded on the first frame. In the assumed case of 8 reexposures, the last ghost image would be the 211th, as indicated in Fig. 1. It is pointed out that during each complete exposure of the plate, which takes .030" movement of the exposing screen, 30 different composite pictures of the object are taken at equal time intervals determined by the speed of movement of the screen. Thus, if 8 reexposures are made, then there are actually 8X30, or 240 different composite exposures made on the plate. However, when one is looking at the record through a sta tionary lined screen, at any one instant he is capable of seeing only every 30th picture element Let us assume across the record so that, consequently, the coms'othatits emulsion-surface is -acurately posi posite pictures he sees will be those takenat suctioned' inthe focal plane of the camera lens.

oessive' intervals of .030" increment of move- A lined: exposingscreen: is disposed imme'-- ment of the exposing screen. As shown in Fig. 2, diately in frontof the photographic plate in if the viewing screen is moved .001" to the right, 5 parallel relation theretoand generally with the then the observer will see the 8 pictures of the lines thereof extending transversely of the plate bullet taken at successive intervals which may be and vertically, since most motion is recorded in designated 232-62 2-l2, and which are each a generally horizontal direction. This exposing 3O increments of screen movement apart. screen may preferably be a glass photographic If the bullet were moving with a uniform ve- 10 plate which has beenexposed andprocessed so locity during the exposure, each of the 8 comas to possess lines .001" wide, spaced on- .030 posite pictures observed would be separated from center, and must be moved across the photoits neighbor in the direction of movement of the graphic plate rapidly and as close thereto as is bullet by a constant distance. The fact that the practically possible s'o'that the linesof the screen successive composite images of the bullet in Figs. act as physicalmasks and eliminate "bleeding 1 and 2 are spaced apart by decreasing amounts of one composite image into another. For use in the direction of movement of the bullet, diin the present method, this screen should be rectly indicates that the bullet was decelerating enough longer than the plate to permit the over the recorded portion of its travel. If the screen to move far" enoughacross and relative in w n ive mposite pi ture apto the plateto produce the desired multiple expeared to increase in the direction of travel of posure thereof without uncovering the same. In the bullet, then a positive acceleration would be order to hold the lined screen fiat and allow it indicated. to be moved rapidly across the photographic The actual values of velocity and acceleration plate, it is held in' a stretched condition between of the bullet can be obtained if the speed of a pair of binding strips, notshown, extending movement of the exposing screen, and the actual across the top and bottom thereof and above distan e an bject moves in sp e for a given and below the plate-sothat they do not interfere d p eme of image o the plate, are known. with locating the screen close to the'plate.

The actual distance of travel of the bullet in The screen it) is moved rapidly across plate space for a given displacement of its image on 24 at a uniform velocity bya'spring-dr'iven-mechthe record can be readily obtained if the maganism including driving links 30" connected at nification, or, more accurately, the reduction one end to thebinding strips of the screen-andfactcr of the camera lens is known. It can be at the four corners thereof; since" Fig. 3 is a more di ec y o ed y p t aphing a disvertical section taken substantially through the tance scale on the record, as shown at S in Fig. c t of th r bgck,.0n1y' t 1, at the same time the object is photographed. mechanism at one If this scale is substantially in the plane of move- I1; i pointed t, h we r, th t th leme ts of ment of the bullet, it will e photographed on the the drive are essentiallyduplicated at eachend plate in the same proport o a the bullet, d' of the screen, aswill be evidentfrom' an inspec-' it is marked in nc s, feet, displacement 40 tion of the noted application Serial No: 114,352- between successive images of the bullet can be relating to this specific-camera.- The-other ends read oif this scale as actual distance traveled by of th drivin 1i the object in space. Since such a scale would be pivot pins 40- fixedin arms'38' o t a y in the d 0f t camera; it cu1d 34, arms 36 of which are in turn journaled on a p ar in the V ewe t every position of the vleW- fixed shaft 29 extending'vertically of the camera ing screen and at the same point in the field. b The m i H Any suitable grid type h g -speed camera across the foca could be used for making the exposureaccording cocked p t to this invention, so long as it is provided with a haft 29- a d h v 4 fastened. to a grid and driving means therefor which will allow flange 48' fixed to shaft 29'and'the other end 49' for the added movement thereof necessary for acting against drivinglever 34. Thepivotal conthe multiple exposures of the photographi pl nection between driv'iiig links 3'0 and arms 3801' In fact, the high-speed camera disclosed in noted driving lever 34 permits the screento move ina op ndin pat n pp i ati Serial 114,352, straight line" across thef'ocal plan'e despite the could be used with slight modification, and for fact that driving levers 3'4 swing through anpurp s s of llu t at an a pa atu by wh h arc-in so drivingthescreena Arrests-on driving our invention could be carried'out, we have shownlevers 34 are normally. used on this camera for the essential parts of this camera in Fig. 3. Since driving the capping shutter which is usedt said camera is completely disclosed in theaboverevent double exposure when this camera is noted copending patent appli tion, along W used in the conventional manner. However, the fact that it provides no part of the pre since in the present invention per se, we have shown and will describe is necessary, the cam only the features and modifications thereof which th capping tt are essential to an understanding of the'present t 111 be ap invention. As shown, this camera may comprise atisfactory esult ith th m th t a a special back adapted to be placed on the rear of of. t Oblect. m a conventional camera of the press'or view type in place of the regular camera back and consists of a rectangular housing l2, the front wall of which is provided with an opening surrounded by positions on the plate ,duringrits. travel over a a channel-shaped connecting flange [3 similar to given path This doe that found on removable backs of conventional however, t gt ima view cameras. A suitable sensitized surface; i. e., t plate. and thehspeed ofithe ex 4" x 5" photographic plate 24, is removably such that the successive-line, mounted-in-thecamera back by means-not shown; 5' object are completely displa 7 as shown. The successive images of the object on the plate could overlap one another so long as the object had a shape which would permit the displacement between successive images to be recognized and measured.

Considerable improvement by a simple ramification can be expected in the results obtained when this method is used to photograph light objects against a dark background by reflected light. Since multiple exposure takes place several times over the same film area during the series of exposures, it is highly probable, of course, since the object was moving, that the image of a light area will be superposed upon areas which have been black in previous frames. The difference in reflecting powerlbetween a light object and a dark background can at best be a factor of 100. Thus, with very high illumination (which is necessary because of the extremely short frame exposure time), a considerable amount of light will be reflected from the black backgrounds and will give some gen- .eral exposure over the plate. Since the light intensity from the white object is only 100 times greater, or two units on the log scale at best, this results in considerable degrading of the image as successive multiple exposures are made.

If necessary, this condition can be improved by simply putting a fluorescent phosphor having a very short decay time on nating the object with a very high intensity flash lamp of the gaseous discharge type having short duration. This, in effect, will lengthen the ex posure time in the light object areas and shorten it in the dark background region. Since the light intensity of these gaseous discharge flash lamps is so great as to cause overexposure in some instances, the phosphor can act as a volume limiter since it will saturate at a level considerably lower than that of the flash lamp peak. A still further improvement in this condition can be obtained if the object is coated with a phosphor of the type which is excited to brilliance by ultraviolet light or other suitable invisible luminoginous radiation. Then the object could be continually illuminated by ultraviolet light which is not readily reflected from a dark background, as the result of which light from the background wouldofier little or no fogging to the film; Should the sensitive surface being used be too sensitive to ultraviolet light, and less sensitive tothe invisible rays like infrared or X-rays, then the object could be coated with an infrared or X-ray stimulable' phosphor and this form of energy could be used to illuminate the photographic field and to stimulate this phosphor to brilliance as it moved into and across the field of the camera.

In order to generically define all of those invisible radiations which are capable of causing phosphors to fiuoresce or luminesce, we have referred to them as luminoginous radiations.

While we have disclosed certain modifications of our invention, we are aware that many other modifications thereof are possible within the scope of the presentfinvention. Our invention, therefore, is not to be limited to the specific steps disclosed by way of illustration to obtain the desired results, but isintended to cover all modifications thereof coming within the scope of the present invention.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim is new and desire tosecure by Letters ?at ,ent of the Unitedfstates is: p

"1; The "method 'ofdetermining the accelerathe object and illumition characteristics of an object moving at high speed with a substantially rectilinear motion comprising the steps of making a photographic record of the moving object by photographing it on a sensitized surface through a lined screen, the transparent lines of which are separated by distances equal to a multiple of the width of said lines, moving said screen during the exposure across the focal plane with a uniform velocity sufficiently high to substantially stop motion of the object on said surface, and in a direction substantially parallel to that of the movement of the object and by an amount such that each line of the screen travels a distance equal to a multiple of the spacing between two adjacent lines, whereby said surface is multiply exposed at successive equal time intervals with composite pictures of said object in different positions of its movement each made up of line images corresponding in dimension and spacing with the lines of said screen; placing in front of said photographic record a lined screen like that through which it was exposed but stationary relative to said record and with the lines thereof aligned with certain image elements of said record, whereby a plurality of separate composite pictures of the object will be seen displaced from each other along said record in the direction of movement of the object, for determining the relation between the displacement of successive pairs of these observed composite pictures to ascertain the acceleration characteristics of the moving object.

2. The method of determining the acceleration characteristics of an object moving at high speed with a substantially rectilinear motion comprising the stepsor" making a photographic record of the moving object by photographing it on a fixed sensitized surface through a lined screen the transparent lines of which are separated by distances equal to a multiple of the width of said lines and so that the image of the object formed in the focal plane is of such size that it occupies only a small percentage of the sensitized surface in any instantaneous position; moving said lined screen during the exposure across the focal plane with a uniform velocity sufficiently high to substantially stop motion of the object on said surface and in a direction substantially parallel to that of movement of the object and by an amount such that each line of the screen travels a distance equal to a multiple of the spacing between two adjacent lines, whereby said surface is multiply exposed at successive equal time intervals with composite imagesof said object which are physically separated from one another across said record, each composite image made up of a plurality of line images corresponding in dimension and spacing with the lines of said screen; superimposing on said photographic record a lined screen like that through which it was exposed but stationary relative to said record and with the lines thereof aligned with certain image elements of said record, whereby a plurality of separate composite pictures of the object will be seen spaced from each other along said surface by equal time intervals in the direction of movement of said object for the purpose of determining the relation between the separation of successive pairs of these observed composite pictures to ascertain the acceleration characteristics of the moving object.

3. The method according to claim 1, including the step of photographing a distance scale on said sensitized surface at the same time said object is photographed, said distance scale being stationary, extending in the direction of movement of the object and located substantially in the plane of the object so that it will be reproduced on the record in the same ratio of magnification as the object itself, whereby the actual distance traveled by the object between exposures can be read from said record to obtain a measure of the acceleration of the object.

4. The method according to claim 1, including the steps of rendering the object highly reflective photographing it against a background of low reflectance by the use of reflected light.

5. The method of determining the acceleration characteristics of an object moving at high speed with a substantially rectilinear motion comprising the steps of coating the object with a fluorescent phosphor material having a short decay time, making a photographic record of the moving object on a sensitized surface through a lined screen, the transparent lines of which are separated by distances equal to a multiple of the width of said lines, by photographing it against a dark background using a light of high intensity and short duration to illuminate the object and excite the phosphor coating thereon, moving said screen during the exposure across the focal plane with a uniform velocity sufficiently high to substantially stop motion of the object on said surface, and in a direction substantially parallel to that of the movement of the object and by an amount such that each line of the screen travels a distance equal to a multiple of the spacing be tween two adjacent lines, whereby said surface is multiply exposed at successive equal time intervals with composite pictures of said object in different positions of its movement, each made up of line images corresponding in dimension and spacing with the lines of said screen; illuminating said photographic record through a lined screen like that through which it was exposed but stationary relative to said record and with the lines thereof aligned with certain image elements of said record, whereupon a plurality of separate composite pictures of the object will be seen through said screen displaced from each other along said record in the direction of movemerit of the object, for the purpose of determining the relation between the displacement of successive pairs of these observed composite pictures to ascertain the acceleration characteristics of the moving object.

6. The method of determining the acceleration characteristics of an object moving at high speed with a substantially rectilinear motion comprising the steps of coating the object with a phosphor material capable of being excited to radiate visible light upon being subjected to invisible luminoginous radiation, making a photographic record of the moving object by subjecting said object to said invisible luminoginous radiation and photographing it on a sensitized surface through a lined screen, the transparent lines of which are separated by distances equal to a multiple of the width of said lines and so that the image of the object formed in the focal plane is of such size that it occupies only a small percentage of the sensitized surface in any instantaneous position; moving said lined screen dur ing the exposure across the focal plane with a uniform velocity sufficiently high to substantially stop motion of the object on said surface and in a direction substantially parallel to that of movement of the object and by an amount such that each line of the screen travels a distance equal to a multiple of the spacing between two adjacent lines, whereby said surface is multiply exposed at successive equal time intervals with composite images of said object which are physically separated from one another across said record, each composite image made up of a plurality of line images corresponding in dimension and spacing with the lines of said screen; placing in front of said photographic record a lined screen like that through which it was exposed but stationary r lative to said record and with the lines thereof aligned with certain image elements of said record, whereupon a plurality of separate composite pictures of the object will be seen spaced from each other along said surface by equal time intervals in the direction of movement of said oh- 3 ct and from the relation between the separation of successive pairs of these observed composite pictures to be ascertained the acceleration characteristics of the moving objects.

FORDYCE E. TUTTLE. WALTER C. NEWCOMB.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 516,278 Petri Mar. 13, 1894 1,150,374 Kanolt Aug. 1'7, 1915 1,260,682 Kanolt 26, 1918 1,413,187 Paumier Apr. 18, 1922 1,501,842 Duda July 15, 19.24 1,950,374 Kanolt Mar. 6, 1934 1,984,004 Wildhaber Dec. 11, 1934 2,259,228 Rankin Oct. 14, 1941 2,460,163 Bowen Jan. 25, 194.9

FOREIGN PATENTS N umber Country Date 7,522 Great Britain Mar. 31, 1913 421,120 Great Britain Dec. 10, 1934 OTHER REFERENCES Talbot, F. A. Moving Pictures, published in 1912 by J. B. Lippincott Co., Philadelphia, Penn. pages 17 through 20 and plate facing page 17. 

